Bisque of Curried Pumpkin, Crawfish and Corn
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups diced onions
  • 1 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1⁄2 cup minced garlic
  • 1 cup white all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugarcane molasses, such as Steen’s
  • ¼ cup yellow curry powder, plus more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 3 quarts crawfish or shrimp stock, plus more if needed
  • 1 (14 ounce) can of unsweetened pumpkin pulp
  • 3 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
  • 2 pounds peeled Louisiana crawfish tails
  • 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, green and red bell pepper, and celery. Cook just until translucent and then add the garlic. Lower the heat to medium and add the flour and stir the mixture for 5 minutes as you cook the flour taste out and form a blond roux.
  2. Stir in the molasses and curry powder as well as the turmeric to achieve the golden yellow color of this dish. Add the crawfish stock, pumpkin and the corn. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue cooking for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the Louisiana crawfish tails and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Add the heavy whipping cream and stir to combine. Taste the bisque and season with salt and pepper. Add more curry if needed to achieve the pronounced flavor you desire.
  4. At this point, you can turn off the heat and hold for serving later. Just before serving bring it back to a simmer, stir the bisque and check for thickness. If it is too thick then add a little more of the stock to thin it to your desired consistency. Serve with crusty French bread.
Notes
I suggest you make a stock from crawfish shells, but you can certainly use shrimp shells, dried shrimp or fish bones, or as a last resort, use a store-bought seafood stock. Don’t be afraid to improvise with this dish – perhaps shrimp or even a white flaky fish would be an option. Just be sure the dominant flavors of seafood and curry along with the balance of sweetness and spiciness are in sync.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://www.acadianatable.com/2023/12/25/crawfish-and-pumpkin-bisque/